So I live in suburbia (temporarily), which means nice big houses, decent sized yards, etc... Anyway, I have these neighbors who are probably in their late 30s/early 40s. They have three kids under the age of 10. They are so damn loud. It is not just during the day but in the evenings (including weeknights) and often after 11:00. I am not sure if their kids are up (I can hear the kids now) or how they can sleep through it. They have people over constantly and they just talk so loudly. I don't have kids so I am not sure I am overreacting about the noise from them but am I unreasonable for being bugged by the parent's noise every night after 10:00? Heck, even before 10:00 it is annoying.

I am ready to say something but I hate being confrontational. Any advice?

Thanks!

I would walk over there and ask if they could keep it down. Maybe they don't know they are that loud? If they don't keep it down after 10 (because I think that's when it is appropriate to keep the noise down), I would call the police. They need to know you aren't playing. Sometimes you have to be a little confrontational to let people know you aren't one to mess with.

I have the same problem. They play "bottom 40" in the backyard.

I have asked them to tone the volume down after 8pm. Many times.

Jerks.

Finally one PMS night around 10 I snapped. I called the cops.

They haven't been loud since.

My old neighbor had a dog that just wouldn't stop barking outside. It would bark all night. So what we did was we wrote an ANONYMOUS letter to their address stating that 'many of your neighbors are being quite annoyed by your barking dog at night. We just can't sleep' (it was a longer letter but had that subject). We didn't hear any noise once they received it.

Neighbors can be very tricky.

I'd leave an anonymous note in their mailbox first. If that doesn't fix it, I'd go over while they're making noise and ring the bell, wake the whole fam damily up and politely request them to quiet down.
Finally, I'd resort to the Police, it's not legal for them to be disturbing the peace.
People can be VERY defensive, that's why I suggest a note first, that way there's no weird tension after the fact.

i have called the police several times on my neighbors.. got no problem doing it coz i pay for my place and do not expect to be messed with during late hours of the day.. when it is morning, fine.. but after 10 pm, that's when i am calling the cops..

My second apartment, my neighbor came banging on my door because she thought I was playing music and she was trying to take a nap. I was like um, no I'm watching Frieda (yes I remember the movie) in the living room. So she goes back to her apt and starts banging on the walls. It was the downstairs neighbors.

One night I was so tired and frustrated that I did scream out the window that "we are trying to sleep." They shut up fairly quickly. I must be a snob because I assumed that anyone who lived around here would have some class and therefore would be a bit quieter. I am not sure what I will do. I know them sort of so I may say something. I just don't get how they think it is ok. I also don't get why their kids aren't in bed. I guess school is starting soon so it won't be that bad. Just makes me angry that they are so disresepctful.

Class does not come in money. You have loudness issues everywhere. Stick up for yourself though.

My BF and I were at the Ritz Carlton last month before the Purse Forum meeting and you know someone called security on us? We were watching a movie and laughing and chatting it up and they called security on us at 8 pm. I almost died. In the morning I was ready to call security on them because they were being too loud. I learned that I'm not getting rooms with conjoined doors anymore.

Originally Posted by chigirl

One night I was so tired and frustrated that I did scream out the window that "we are trying to sleep." They shut up fairly quickly. I must be a snob because I assumed that anyone who lived around here would have some class and therefore would be a bit quieter. I am not sure what I will do. I know them sort of so I may say something. I just don't get how they think it is ok. I also don't get why their kids aren't in bed. I guess school is starting soon so it won't be that bad. Just makes me angry that they are so disresepctful.

You'd be shocked... you'd think they would and they don't. OUr friends have quite possibly the most obnoxious neighbors ever and they finally payed thousands of dollars to have these HUGE full growth trees put in along the property line to help block out the noise...which only helped minimally. Some people have no consideration what so ever... especially with the younger families that are moving to the North Shore...

Anyway, I'd look into what your village's rules are for noise and politely inform your neighbors of it... and the I'd start calling the cops with otu warning if they still didn't shape up after that. It is one thing to sit outside at the pool or on the deck late at night with friends but it is another thing completely if they're adults that can't control their volume at 11pm at night. They need to move it indoors.

Maybe your friends live by me? How funny would that be?

You are right about the North Shore. The rest of the neighbors are all in their late 40s - 60s. You would think these people are the only ones out of their friends with a house because they have people at their place all the time. Part of the problem is lack of trees. This is a sort of newer development so not so much character.

I think I will say something tomorrow.

Thanks!!!

I would do the anonymous letter but they may guess it is me so maybe best to go directly.

we had the same problem so I spoke to the homeowners association and filed an anomynous complaint-our association fines residents for violations after the first warning.

Many areas have noise ordinances. I am president of my Homeowner's Association and my advice is to check to see if there's an ordinance in your area and if there is, call the police every time it's violated.

I've learned from fielding noise complaints in my own community that asking people to be quiet doesn't work most of the time. They usually know they are being loud and think because it's "their house" they can disturb their neighbors without care. Most places have noise ordinances and they will enforce them if the police are called. It also provides documentation if you need it later.

What had to be done in my community with a noisy resident was the police were called EACH AND EVERY TIME there was a violation of the noise ordinance, without exception. (We advised the people around the noise makers not to confront them, because then the police calls can be tied to you and possibly create more harassment.)

Eventually the noisy people moved out- and complained that THEY were being harassed by the noise complaints. Funny thing is, after they moved, no one has complained about the new people and they've been there for two years.

^^ Agree with Roo. I'm on the board of our HOA (oh, lucky me!) and because I live on the end of our row of townhouses I thought I would be a little more insulated from a lot of noise issues with only one common wall.

Not so. On the other side of me, through a row of trees and a large bulkhead drop, is Skankville. Loud music, diesel trucks idling at 4am for an hour before they leave, cigarette butts thrown onto our property (which once caused a tree fire, long story), Moms yelling at their kids all day and people using our garbage dumpsters thinking they are community property. ARrghh, don't get me started!

Police, fire department and contacting the landlord of the offending property has worked a few miracles, but there is much more work to do. Yay.